Fullerton Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fullerton, California 92633
Monday, November 20, 1995 6:34 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The noninstrument-rated pilot and CFII were on a localizer instrument approach. The airplane did not have a DME, and the pilots had requested and were advised by approach control when they were over the final approach fix. The airplane descended below the minimum descent altitude and collided with a telephone pole and an apartment building about 1 mile short of the runway. The weather was indefinite 100 feet, with visibility 1/4 mile in fog. The paraplegic CFII required special rudder controls to fly the airplane; the airplane was not equipped with the controls. The CFII was due at his normal workplace near the airport about 25 minutes after the accident time. One person on the ground was fatally injured.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot-in-command's failure to follow IFR procedures in that he descended below the minimum descent altitude and failed to execute a missed approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot-in-command's self-induced pressure to get to work.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 634
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FULLERTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92633
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FULLERTON MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FUL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 96
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID FUL
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 1
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1951
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N888JK
NTSB Number LAX96FA050
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7240093
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 3640
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL L. BENSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16206 S. MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City GARDENA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90248
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L35
Departure City BIG BEAR
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FUL
Destination City
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 3120
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --